WEBVTT HANGING UP REWARD POSTERS. HOMICIDE DETECTIVES SPENT THE DAY CANVASSING THE CRIME SCENE HANDING OUT FLYERS AND PUTTING UP POSTERS IN AN EFFORT TO FIND THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR WANTING SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TAYLOR HAYES. SHE WAS WOUNDED IN A SHOOTOUT. TAYLOR SAT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. >> ONE OF THE BULLETS TRAVELED THROUGH THE HONDA ACCORD AND STRUCK HER IN THE BACK. DAVID: ONE OF THE GUNS USED WAS IN THE CAR. >> DETECTIVES EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT ON THE HONDA ACCORD AND RECOVERED A 40 CALIBER HANDGUN WITH AN EXTENDED MAGAZINE AND SUSPECTED DRUGS. DAVID: PLEASE DO NOT KNOW IF HE WAS THE TARGET OR -- SHE WAS THE TARGET OR FIRED THE GUN. THERE HAVE BEEN SIX MURDERS IN THE AREA SINCE APRIL. THE COMMISSIONER AT THE TIME CALLED THE VIOLENCE BY RETALIATORY. >> TWO GROUPS ON THE WEST SIDE IS DOING SOME RETALIATORY VIOLENCE. DAVID: POLICE ARE NOT SPECULATING WHETHER THIS WAS CONNECTED BUT BELIEVE IT WAS RANDOM. >> THE CAR HAD DARK TINTED WINDOWS. WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY THAT THEY COULD NOT SEE BUT THOUGHT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR, WE DO NOT KNOW THAT. DAVID: POLICE LEARNED OF THE SHOOTING WHEN A MAN KNOCKED ON THE WINDOW. THEY FLAGGED DOWN A PRIVATE AMBULANCE. >> THE CHILD REMAINS IN CRITICAL CONDITION. HER CONDITION IS NOT STABLE. DAVID: WE ARE BACK LIVE NOW, CITY POLICE ARE LOOKING AT CITY WHAT CAMERAS. THEY ARE LOOKING AT PRIVATE SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE. POLICE ARE INTERESTED IN A TWO DOOR TO FOUR-DOOR WHITE CAR THAT HAS A DARK OR A BLACK PAINT TRANSFER.

During a news conference Friday, police said Taylor Hayes was shot in the 500 block of Lyndhurst Street and that numerous shots were fired.

"One of the bullets traveled through the trunk of the Honda Accord Taylor was in and struck her in the back," Baltimore Police Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle said.

The vehicle fled the scene and traveled to Edmondson Avenue and North Loudon Street, where Officer Steven Reed encountered it, police said.

Reed was on Edmondson Avenue when a man knocked on his window and alerted him to Taylor's injuries, police said. The officer rushed over and flagged down a private ambulance in the area. Taylor was taken to Shock Trauma.

"It's by the grace of God that one of the best trauma surgeons in the country, Dr. (Thomas) Scalea, happened to be in the trauma bay with the trauma team upon Taylor's arrival. The team at Shock Trauma was able to administer the best care available to Taylor," Tuggle said.

"Taylor continues to fight for her life," Tuggle said. "She was just a normal 7-year-old kid who likes to dance and loves music. Now she's fighting for her life. It's truly a tragedy."

The driver of the vehicle Taylor was sitting in was identified as Darnell Holmes, police said. Holmes, 33, was arrested and faces charges of possession of a firearm and drug-related offenses, officials said.

Baltimore Police Department

Darnell Holmes

Although she is not related to Taylor, Holmes is related to another child who was in the vehicle. Police did not say how they were related. Neither Holmes nor the other child were injured, police said.

During a search of the vehicle, detectives found a .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine and suspected drugs in the vehicle, police said.

"We know that there were at least two different guns based on the shell casings we recovered," Tuggle said.

Although authorities said they do not believe the incident to be a random act of violence, it is not clear if Holmes was the target, or if she was the one who fired the gun. Holmes is not cooperating with authorities.

"We think that it was targeted more specifically at that car. The car has very dark, tinted windows. So whether or not they were looking for somebody they couldn't see, they thought may have been in the car, we just don't know that," Tuggle said.

Police are looking for a two- or four-door white car that could have paint transfer.

"It may be black pain transfer or a dark paint transfer," Tuggle said.

The 7-year-old's cousin, Ashley, said Taylor loves to sing and dance, and that her smile can light up a room.

"She's 7. She has nothing to do with anything going on out here," said neighbor Savon Thomas.

"This is a 7-year-old little girl in the back seat of a car, probably talking about Barbie dolls or something, and she's now in Shock Trauma fighting for her life. So whatever your differences are with whether it's police and the community, whatever. This is where we all come together, even if you're a bad guy," Baltimore police media relations Chief T.J. Smith said.

"This is out of hand. It's out of hand," a neighbor said. "Me, as a parent, I don't want to walk around putting my life in danger of going to jail because I want to protect myself by carrying a weapon. So I go to work, I send them to school and come home."

Thomas wants his city and his community to come together.

"It can start anywhere, just bringing everybody together, trying to make everything better, but it's going to take a step at a time," Thomas said.

Police are still investigating what exactly sparked the encounter and are asking for the public's help with any information that may be related to this incident. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-396-2100 or text tips to 443-902-4824.

Meet 7 y/o Taylor. Her cousin Ashley says her smile can light up a room. She loves to sing & dance. Taylor is in critical condition at Shock Trauma. She was shot while riding in the backseat of a car in SW Baltimore this afternoon. @wbaltv11#WBALpic.twitter.com/QqDuzSL0F0

Area in SW Baltimore where 7 yr old girl shot and critically wounded today has seen 6 homicides this year. Retaliatory cycle suspected. One of homicides was earlier today--3am. pic.twitter.com/CNPGcR6bts

This is a truly heinous crime. Praying for this little girl's recovery. The individual who committed this despicable act of violence against this innocent child must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. https://t.co/yKyLCiiF2A